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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: plane · date · net · kick · chip · stand · lie · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — a tool
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rush — hurry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. lie — to recline
  10. kick — in football
  11. date — the fruit
  12. net — in sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. net — for catching
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chip — to eat

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