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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: land · pass · can · plane · band · chip · firm · court

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a ring
  4. plane — a tool
  5. firm — a company
  6. band — a music group
  7. firm — steady
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pass — a permit
  11. land — a country
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chip — to eat
  14. court — for sport
  15. chip — for betting
  16. land — ground
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. court — of a king
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. land — to come down
  22. court — of law
  23. can — a tin
  24. firm — decided

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