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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: rush · fall · plane · chip · stock · staff · rash · scale

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fall — to drop
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fall — the season
  10. chip — to eat
  11. scale — in music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. chip — for betting
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — goods
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stock — shares
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rash — a series
  24. scale — size or range

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