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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. craft — boats
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bank — for money
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fine — all right
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. clip — for paper
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rash — a series
  18. craft — a skill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bank — for money
  22. clip — to cut
  23. fall — the season
  24. rash — on the skin

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