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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 116 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: plane · march · game · chip · dip · stick · safe · nail

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. game — wild animals
  5. march — music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. march — the month
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chip — to eat
  18. game — a match
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. march — the month
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — to sink
  24. safe — a strongbox

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