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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 120 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 · mine · calf · fine · lie · bass · plane · stick

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. plane — a tool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mine — for digging
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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