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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
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: dip · patient · root · nail · spell · arm · plane · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — magic
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. dip — to sink
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chip — to eat
  15. root — of a word
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. root — of a plant
  20. spell — letters
  21. root — the cause
  22. plane — a tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — an aircraft

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