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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. clip — a video
  3. stock — shares
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. clip — to cut
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. charge — a price
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. clip — for paper
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. charge — electricity
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. wave — with your hand

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