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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. firm — steady
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. net — after costs
  6. bass — the fish
  7. plane — a tool
  8. chip — to eat
  9. net — in sport
  10. firm — a company
  11. file — a line of people
  12. net — for catching
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. file — a document
  17. chip — for betting
  18. firm — decided
  19. bound — certain
  20. current — electric
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. file — a tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. plane — in geometry

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