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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: pop · cue · clip · craft · plane · sharp · temple · trunk

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. clip — a video
  3. pop — soda
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pop — music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cue — for pool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. craft — a skill
  12. clip — to cut
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pop — to visit
  15. craft — boats
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. clip — for paper
  22. cue — a signal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. sharp — exactly

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