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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: spring · jam · hand · fan · suit · chip · lash · hide

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — to eat
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spring — the season
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. hand — in cards
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. hand — help
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — of water

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