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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: saw · squash · plane · rock · chip · mine · wave · rest

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rest — what's left
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. squash — to crush
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rock — music
  24. squash — the vegetable

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