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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. board — a committee
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. roll — a list
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fine — all right
  11. board — to get on
  12. roll — a cake
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fine — high quality
  22. plane — a tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. board — a flat piece

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