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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. season — of the year
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a dance
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ball — a round shape

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