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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: tube · chip · rock · plane · key · pound · deal · firm

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. tube — the underground
  3. firm — a company
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rock — a stone
  7. firm — decided
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pound — a weight
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. key — the most important part
  15. firm — steady
  16. deal — to handle
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. plane — a tool
  23. tube — a container
  24. key — in music

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