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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 124 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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. band — a music group
  6. present — a gift
  7. roll — a list
  8. firm — a company
  9. spell — a short time
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. present — the time now
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. spell — magic
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. band — a ring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. chip — to eat
  22. present — there
  23. spell — letters
  24. chip — for betting

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