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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: firm · wave · pitch · bat · chip · plane · jam · rule

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rule — government
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pitch — completely
  11. firm — steady
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rule — a law
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. firm — a company
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bat — the animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — decided
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wave — with your hand

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