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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
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: tear · roll · craft · mine · plane · pop · chip · pitch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. tear — from crying
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pop — music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. chip — for betting
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. tear — from crying
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. tear — to rip
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. craft — boats
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitch — a sports field

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