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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.

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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: squash · rest · prune · fine · kick · fan · chip · fall

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rest — a break
  6. kick — in football
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rest — what's left
  12. prune — to trim
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fall — the season
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. squash — the sport
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fall — to drop
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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