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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: roll · plane · clip · jam · root · saw · deal · rash

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. deal — to handle
  3. clip — for paper
  4. rash — hasty
  5. clip — a video
  6. rash — a series
  7. saw — the tool
  8. clip — to cut
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. roll — a cake
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. roll — a list
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. root — the cause
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. deal — a big deal

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