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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — the time now
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. face — to point toward
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kick — in football
  12. present — a gift
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. face — to confront
  17. chip — for betting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. plane — a tool
  20. tube — a container
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. tube — the underground
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. present — there

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