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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 124 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. current — electric
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. date — the fruit
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. chip — to eat
  8. track — a song
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. deal — to handle
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. current — happening now
  14. swing — in golf
  15. plane — a tool
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. swing — to play on
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. current — of water
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. swing — music

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