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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: pit · plane · coach · clip · date · wave · calf · ball

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — in a race
  12. clip — for paper
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ball — a dance
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. clip — to cut
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. date — the fruit

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