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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — for betting
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chip — to eat
  17. charge — electricity
  18. present — there
  19. present — a gift
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — the time now
  24. charge — in control

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