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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: spell · lie · clip · rush · stand · plane · can · tube

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. can — to be able to
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — magic
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. spell — letters
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. can — a tin
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. spell — a short time
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rush — hurry

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