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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: dip · squash · clip · temple · fine · kick · swing · plane

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. clip — to cut
  3. plane — a tool
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. clip — a video
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — to sink
  8. squash — the sport
  9. swing — in golf
  10. kick — in football
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fine — all right
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. clip — for paper
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. swing — to play on
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. swing — music
  23. fine — high quality
  24. kick — with a leg

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