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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: key · trunk · game · plane · pitch · leaves · clip · cap

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. clip — to cut
  4. game — wild animals
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pitch — completely
  12. key — in music
  13. clip — a video
  14. cap — a lid
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cap — a hat
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. clip — for paper
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cap — of ice
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. game — a match
  23. key — for a lock
  24. game — a kind of play

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