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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 116 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: fan · fall · pop · kid · object · staff · chip · prune

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kid — child
  4. chip — for betting
  5. object — an aim
  6. staff — a stick
  7. object — a thing
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. object — to protest
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fall — the season
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. kid — to tease
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chip — to eat
  24. prune — the fruit

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