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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: pop · perch · pit · chip · nail · wind · game · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. game — wild animals
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wind — moving air
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pop — to visit
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pit — in a race
  23. game — a match
  24. pop — soda

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