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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: lash · bulb · pitch · cabinet · fan · rash · chip · face

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chip — to eat
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. face — to confront
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rash — a series

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