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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.

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: chip · saw · press · rest · straw · plane · can · calf

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. press — to push
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. can — a tin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. press — newspapers
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. can — to be able to

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