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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cue — for pool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fine — all right
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. chip — for betting
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lean — thin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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