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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. object — an aim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. staff — employees
  10. object — to protest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. staff — employees
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hand — help
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — a tool
  20. object — a thing
  21. bulb — for light
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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