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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. net — in sport
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — to get on
  5. net — for catching
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. suit — to fit
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — for paper
  13. plane — a tool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — a committee
  18. branch — a division
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — after costs
  23. suit — in cards
  24. can — a tin

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