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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: rash · wave · firm · patient · chip · plane · snap · dip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — steady
  5. snap — to click
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — to sink
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. firm — a company
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. firm — decided
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wave — with your hand

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