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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. clip — to cut
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fall — to drop
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. board — a committee
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — clothes
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. board — to get on
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fall — to drop
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rest — a break
  22. plane — a tool
  23. capital — money
  24. plane — an aircraft

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