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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: plane · sharp · chip · stand · land · can · file · lean

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. chip — to eat
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stand — to bear
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — to come down
  11. file — a document
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. land — ground
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. file — a tool
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. land — a country
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — for spectators

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