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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: lean · land · chip · fine · stand · drill · tube · bulb

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fine — high quality
  3. drill — army training
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fine — all right
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. land — a country
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — to eat
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. land — ground
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — to bend
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bulb — for light

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