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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: plane · rock · calf · chip · bass · rule · tube · pound

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bass — low music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rule — a law
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chip — for betting
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rule — government
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bass — the fish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. calf — of the leg

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