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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: wound · spring · pass · wake · cabinet · band · lie · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. band — a ring
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. band — a music group
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spring — a coil
  14. chip — for betting
  15. spring — of water
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spring — the season

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