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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 116 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: ruler · plane · chip · pitch · rash · lie · fan · row

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — a tool
  9. row — a line
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rash — a series
  24. fan — a supporter

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