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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
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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: rock · clip · bowl · hide · craft · toast · squash · plane

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. clip — a video
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rock — music
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. clip — for paper
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. craft — boats
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. craft — a skill
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. squash — to crush
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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