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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: chip · lie · pit · shower · ball · plane · snap · suit

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — to wash
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pit — in a race
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pit — a hole
  12. plane — a tool
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. chip — for betting
  15. suit — clothes
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ball — a dance
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. snap — to click
  24. chip — to eat

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