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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · clip · season · plane · trunk · temple · pass · cap

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. clip — for paper
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. clip — a video
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cap — a hat
  10. season — of the year
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cap — of ice
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. clip — to cut
  22. pass — a permit
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. season — in sport

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