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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: squash · rash · lie · plane · wind · chip · nail · foot

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. foot — a measure
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wind — moving air
  20. squash — the sport
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. chip — to eat
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. nail — for a hammer

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