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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 120 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: fan · chip · spell · ball · ruler · prune · snap · land

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. land — to come down
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ball — a dance
  8. prune — to trim
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chip — to eat
  13. spell — a short time
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. spell — letters
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. snap — to click
  24. spell — magic

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