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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — to crush
  5. clip — to cut
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. key — the most important part
  12. can — to be able to
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. squash — the sport
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to drill
  17. key — in music
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bore — to tire
  21. saw — the tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bore — gave birth

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