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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. hand — help
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — steady
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. firm — a company
  14. squash — to crush
  15. craft — boats
  16. firm — decided
  17. kid — to tease
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. kid — child
  21. craft — a skill
  22. squash — the sport
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. hand — in cards

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