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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lean — to bend
  19. chip — to eat
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. wake — before a funeral

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