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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: hide · lash · fan · ruler · rock · squash · nail · chip

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. squash — to crush
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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