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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. chair — a leader
  4. plane — a tool
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — to fit
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com