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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pop — to visit
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. clip — to cut
  8. craft — a skill
  9. clip — a video
  10. object — a thing
  11. pop — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. plane — a tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. cap — a hat
  16. object — to protest
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. cap — of ice
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. charge — in control
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — boats
  24. object — an aim

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