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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: bulb · rush · hide · chip · plane · cabinet

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chip — to eat
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rush — hurry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cabinet — ministers

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