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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: spring · leaves · cap · ball · mark · bass · chip · plane

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. cap — of ice
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. plane — a tool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cap — a lid
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. spring — the season
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. chip — to eat
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ball — a round shape

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