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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tube — the underground
  5. last — final
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. current — of water
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. face — to point toward
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. face — to confront
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — a container
  17. last — finally
  18. last — to go on
  19. chip — to eat
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. mark — a trace
  24. arm — part of the body

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