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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: fan · craft · plane · chip · lash · straw · season · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. craft — boats
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. firm — decided
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. chip — for betting
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. season — of the year
  15. firm — a company
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. season — in sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. season — to add flavour

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