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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — to wash
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. clip — for paper

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