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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. chip — for betting
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rash — a series
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. kick — in football
  19. rash — hasty
  20. board — a committee
  21. wake — a trail
  22. plane — a tool
  23. board — to get on
  24. plane — in geometry

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