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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 120 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 · cabinet · plane · safe · racket · hide · temple · nail

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. clip — for paper
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — a video
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. racket — a loud noise

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