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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: patient · bowl · chip · charge · plane · shower · dip · rest

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — a price
  11. plane — a tool
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — a break
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chip — for betting

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