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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · plane · ruler · clip · present · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rest — a break
  5. clip — for paper
  6. present — the time now
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rest — what's left
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. present — there
  14. plane — a tool
  15. clip — a video
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — in geometry

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