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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. scale — in music
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — all right
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. clip — a video
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fine — high quality
  22. scale — size or range
  23. clip — for paper
  24. hand — help

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