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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: saw · hand · kick · chip · suit · firm · plane · season

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. firm — steady
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hand — help
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kick — in football
  7. firm — a company
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hand — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. season — in sport
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. season — of the year
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. plane — a tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. season — to add flavour

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