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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. clip — a video
  4. cap — of ice
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. can — a tin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. clip — for paper
  10. charge — in control
  11. rock — music
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rock — a stone
  18. charge — a price
  19. clip — to cut
  20. pit — in a race
  21. can — to be able to
  22. cap — a hat
  23. can — a tin
  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