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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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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: kick · fan · rule · leaves · lash · kid · chip · bass

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. kid — child
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kid — to tease
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kick — in football
  12. bass — low music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rule — government
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. chip — for betting
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rule — a law
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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