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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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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. clip — for paper
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — electricity
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. charge — in control
  7. suit — in cards
  8. clip — to cut
  9. pass — a permit
  10. current — electric
  11. march — music
  12. plane — a tool
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. march — the month
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. suit — to fit
  23. charge — a price
  24. clip — a video

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