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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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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: clip · cue · pound · plane · snap · roll · patient · bulb

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. roll — a list
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pound — a weight
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. snap — to click
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cue — for pool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. clip — for paper
  20. cue — a signal
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — to cut
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. roll — a cake

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