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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.

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: toast · clip · craft · wake · plane · bulb · chair · mark

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mark — a grade
  3. clip — a video
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bulb — for light
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. craft — boats
  8. bulb — for light
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. clip — to cut
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. toast — bread
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. clip — for paper
  19. chair — a leader
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wake — a trail
  24. plane — an aircraft

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