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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: patient · march · clip · fan · date · board · press · plane

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. plane — a tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. clip — a video
  5. clip — to cut
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. press — newspapers
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. press — to push
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. march — the month
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. clip — for paper
  19. board — a committee
  20. march — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. march — the month
  23. board — to get on
  24. press — a publisher

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