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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.

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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: fan · prune · nail · present · rest · chip · rush · face

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. face — to confront
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rest — a break
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. prune — to trim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. face — part of the head
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. present — there
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — hurry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — the time now
  24. rush — to hurry

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