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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bank — for money
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rock — music
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bank — for money
  11. capital — a city
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. saw — the tool
  14. capital — money
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rock — a stone
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rush — hurry
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bank — of a river

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