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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: plane · snap · mark · chip · tube · perch · calf · ruler

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — for betting
  6. tube — a container
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. snap — to click
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mark — a grade
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mark — a trace

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