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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: plane · swing · lash · clip · prune · lie · bound · craft

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bound — certain
  3. plane — a tool
  4. swing — to play on
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. clip — a video
  7. lie — to recline
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. swing — in golf
  13. clip — to cut
  14. craft — a skill
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. clip — for paper
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. craft — boats
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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