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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · calf · can · bowl · fall · object · clip · suit

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. suit — in cards
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. plane — a tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — to protest
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. object — a thing
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. clip — a video
  17. can — a tin
  18. fall — the season
  19. suit — clothes
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. object — an aim

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