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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 · bay · chip · land · pop · firm · tube · cabinet

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. firm — a company
  3. land — a country
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. firm — decided
  6. pop — soda
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — to eat
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. land — to come down
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tube — a container
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pop — music
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. firm — steady
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. plane — a tool
  24. land — ground

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