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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
468
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: squash · chip · land · arm · object · stock · leaves · plane

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. land — a country
  3. object — a thing
  4. plane — a tool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. object — an aim
  8. squash — to crush
  9. chip — to eat
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stock — goods
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. land — ground
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. land — to come down
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stock — a soup base
  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