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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. key — the most important part
  3. track — to keep track
  4. chip — to eat
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chip — for betting
  8. track — a path
  9. plane — a tool
  10. track — a song
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — in music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fine — all right
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mine — for digging
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mate — a friend

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