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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cell — a phone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — clothes
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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