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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · safe · straw · chip · leaves · hand · stem · fan

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. chip — to eat
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. stem — to come from
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. safe — a strongbox

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