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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: chip · lie · plane · ball · bulb · mark · file · rush

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. mark — a grade
  3. file — a document
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rush — hurry
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. plane — a tool
  17. file — a tool
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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