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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bank — for money
  3. court — of law
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bark — to shout
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. court — for sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — for betting
  11. key — in music
  12. fine — all right
  13. land — a country
  14. land — to come down
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bank — for money
  18. land — ground
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. key — the most important part
  21. court — of a king
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. plane — a tool

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