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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
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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: chip · fan · face · bear · staff · plane · calf · bulb

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — a tool
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — the animal
  15. staff — a stick
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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