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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. swing — to play on
  4. kick — in football
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. scale — size or range
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. chip — for betting
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. scale — in music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. sharp — clever
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. swing — in golf

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