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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
468
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 · mouse · pass · lie · trunk · plane · tube · dip

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. tube — a container
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lie — to recline
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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