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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
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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: ruler · wound · dip · chip · stem · hand · clip · plane

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. clip — a video
  4. chip — to eat
  5. plane — a tool
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chip — for betting
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. clip — for paper
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hand — help
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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