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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — a skill
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. craft — boats
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. last — to go on
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. last — finally
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. toast — bread
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. last — final
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lean — thin
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. kick — in football
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. clip — to cut

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