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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 120 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. clip — a video
  3. track — to keep track
  4. clip — to cut
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rest — a break
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. track — a song
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. suit — in cards
  11. court — of a king
  12. bulb — for light
  13. clip — for paper
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — to fit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bulb — for light
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. safe — out of danger

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