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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · kid · chip · rest · plane · saw · club · ball

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — for betting
  3. club — for dancing
  4. kid — to tease
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. plane — a tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. ball — a dance
  12. club — a group
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. kick — in football
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. club — for golf
  22. ball — a great time
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rest — what's left

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