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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: clip · fork · scale · plane · lie · chip · pass · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lie — to recline
  7. clip — for paper
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. clip — to cut
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fork — in a road
  16. scale — in music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. clip — a video
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lie — an untruth

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