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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wake · nail · stand · stick · plane · pitcher · object · clip

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. object — an aim
  7. clip — to cut
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. object — a thing
  15. wake — a trail
  16. clip — for paper
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — to bear
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. clip — a video
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. object — to protest

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