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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. clip — to cut
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. scale — in music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — ground
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. clip — for paper
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. land — a country
  13. plane — a tool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bat — the animal
  18. clip — a video
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — to come down
  24. hide — animal skin

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