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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: plane · cabinet · foot · chip · vault · tube · pop · lie

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tube — the underground
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tube — a container
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. foot — a measure
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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