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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: mark · plane · pitch · cabinet · chip · lie · fall · leaves

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fall — the season
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chip — to eat
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. mark — a grade

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