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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  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. present — the time now
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. clip — for paper
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. band — a music group
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. clip — a video
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to click
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. deal — to handle
  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