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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of law
  3. deal — to handle
  4. snap — to click
  5. kick — in football
  6. plane — a tool
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. chip — for betting
  20. court — of a king
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. court — for sport
  24. kick — a thrill

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