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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: bulb · charge · plane · hand · rest · fan · chip · bark

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. bark — to shout
  4. charge — in control
  5. hand — help
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — for betting
  12. charge — electricity
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — a price
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bulb — of a plant

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