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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 120 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: bear · last · plane · lash · fork · rule · chip · fan

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. last — final
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — to eat
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rule — government
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rule — a law
  20. last — finally
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chip — for betting

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