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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
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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: mug · drill · face · rush · wave · saw · chip · fork

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. drill — army training
  8. face — part of the head
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mug — a face
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. face — to confront
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mug — to rob
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chip — in a computer

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