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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: plane · straw · lash · rule · chip · wound · dip · jam

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wound — an injury
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rule — a law
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. chip — to eat
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rule — government
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. wound — an injury

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