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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spell — a short time
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. spell — magic
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spell — letters
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. suit — in cards

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