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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fall — to drop
  6. row — a line
  7. chip — to eat
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fall — the season
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cell — in biology
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a quarrel

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