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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: rule · clip · pit · leaves · hide · squash · bank · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. squash — the sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — for money
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — to cut
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pit — in a race
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. clip — for paper
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rule — government
  23. pit — a hole
  24. hide — animal skin

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