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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: stick · clip · squash · plane · jam · racket · march · rest

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. clip — for paper
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. clip — a video
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. march — the month
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. march — music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — a tool
  18. march — the month
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. squash — the 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