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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. cap — of ice
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. clip — a video
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rule — a law
  12. cap — a hat
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rule — government
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. clip — for paper
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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