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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · nail · land · band · key · tube · chip · plane

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. band — a music group
  3. plane — a tool
  4. land — to come down
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. tube — a container
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. chip — for betting
  10. land — a country
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. key — in music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chip — to eat
  16. key — for a lock
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. land — ground
  21. key — the most important part
  22. tube — the underground
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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