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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. clip — a video
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. clip — to cut
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bank — for money
  18. clip — for paper
  19. tube — a container
  20. cap — of ice
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bark — to shout

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