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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: plane · coach · chip · nail · rash · lash · pound · spell

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. spell — letters
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pound — a weight
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — magic
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rash — a series
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chip — in a computer

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