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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. clip — a video
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. clip — to cut
  9. key — in music
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bass — the fish
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bass — low music
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. cabinet — ministers

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