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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: chip · cue · rest · leaves · plane · perch · bore · fan

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a signal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cue — for pool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chip — to eat

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