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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hand — help
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chip — for betting
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. chip — to eat
  21. plane — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. plane — an aircraft

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