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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — to cut
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. clip — a video
  8. cap — of ice
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cap — a lid
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. branch — a division
  14. deal — to handle
  15. plane — a tool
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cap — a hat
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. plane — an aircraft

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