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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: bank · object · current · stick · plane · spring · racket · clip

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. clip — to cut
  3. current — happening now
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bank — for money
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bank — of a river
  8. object — a thing
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. clip — a video
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bank — for money
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. spring — the season
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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