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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 116 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. content — the amount
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. content — happy
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. chip — to eat
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mine — for digging
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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