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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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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. hand — help
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pound — a weight
  9. hand — in cards
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. can — a tin
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. can — a tin
  14. shower — rain
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. chip — to eat
  19. shower — to wash
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — a part of something

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