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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.

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: fine · mark · chip · wound · lash · kick · fan · pass

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mark — a grade
  18. kick — in football
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fine — all right
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lash — an eyelash

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