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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — in a road
  3. clip — a video
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. clip — to cut
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. suit — to fit
  20. clip — for paper
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. suit — in cards
  24. plane — a tool

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