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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.

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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. clip — a video
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pitch — completely
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — to go on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. last — final
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. craft — a skill
  20. clip — for paper
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. last — finally
  23. stand — to bear
  24. snap — to click

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