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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.

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: stand · ruler · tube · wound · game · bowl · clip · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. game — a match
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. clip — for paper
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — wild animals
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. wound — an injury
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. clip — a video
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stand — to bear
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — an injury
  21. tube — a container
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. clip — to cut
  24. stand — for spectators

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