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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: chest · cue · chip · net · plane · bark · temple · key

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. net — for catching
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. cue — for pool
  8. chest — a box
  9. net — after costs
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. net — in sport
  19. bark — to shout
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. plane — an aircraft

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