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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 120 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: stick · season · plane · clip · pit · racket · rule · deal

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — in sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. season — of the year
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rule — a law
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rule — government
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. clip — a video

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