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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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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: band · chip · lie · firm · bear · plane · wind · date

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. chip — to eat
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. wind — moving air
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. firm — a company
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. band — a music group
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — steady
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — decided
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. band — a ring
  24. bear — to put up with

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