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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. current — electric
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. current — of water
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. current — happening now
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. mug — to rob
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mug — a face
  23. chair — a leader
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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