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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. staff — employees
  4. mate — a partner
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. chip — for betting
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. key — the most important part
  11. staff — a stick
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. staff — employees
  14. chip — to eat
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mate — to breed
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. clip — a video
  19. key — for a lock
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. key — in music
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — for paper

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