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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. clip — for paper
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. sharp — clever
  5. content — happy
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. content — the amount
  16. clip — a video
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. clip — to cut
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pass — a permit

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