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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: plane · clip · racket · mug · bark · foot · pit · cap

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. plane — a tool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pit — a hole
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bark — to shout
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mug — to rob
  12. clip — for paper
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. clip — to cut
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. mug — a face
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mug — a cup
  24. foot — a measure

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