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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. squash — to crush
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. game — a match
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. game — wild animals
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. squash — the sport
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bulb — for light
  18. snap — to click
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bulb — for light

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