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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — to eat
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. plane — a tool
  12. race — humankind
  13. charge — in control
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. charge — electricity
  17. kid — child
  18. chip — for betting
  19. kid — to tease
  20. charge — a price
  21. race — a contest
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bowl — to roll

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