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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. hand — help
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bass — the fish
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. drill — the tool
  15. hand — in cards
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. chip — to eat
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bass — low music
  24. leaves — of a tree

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