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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. pass — a permit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rule — a law
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. clip — for paper
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. clip — a video
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rule — government
  22. ground — a position
  23. foot — a measure
  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