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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. track — a song
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. drill — army training
  5. chip — to eat
  6. staff — employees
  7. rash — hasty
  8. track — a path
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rash — a series
  15. staff — a stick
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. plane — a tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. drill — the tool
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. snap — to click
  22. drill — a practice
  23. lie — to recline
  24. track — to keep track

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