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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rush — hurry
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rest — a break
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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