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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: fall · mug · plane · clip · bowl · rock · lean · suit

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. clip — for paper
  3. mug — a face
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mug — a cup
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lean — thin
  19. rock — music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. suit — in cards
  22. clip — a video
  23. suit — to fit
  24. clip — to cut

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