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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: wound · rule · mate · arm · snap · plane · mouse · chip

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — a tool
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rule — a law
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mate — a friend
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mate — to breed
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rule — government
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. snap — to click
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rule — to rule out

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