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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: chip · clip · bulb · nail · fine · bark · plane · fall

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — for paper
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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