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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — a position
  9. plane — a tool
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ground — the earth
  15. race — a contest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. race — humankind
  18. ground — crushed
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — the arms race
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — clothes

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