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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fall — the season
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. firm — steady
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. chip — for betting
  13. firm — a company
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cell — in biology

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