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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mark — a trace
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. mug — to rob
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mug — a face
  15. mark — a grade
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — a tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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