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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 116 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: clip · cabinet · cue · wave · plane · file · lean · mark

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. file — a tool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — a tool
  15. clip — to cut
  16. file — a document
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mark — a grade
  20. file — a line of people
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cue — a hint
  23. clip — a video
  24. cue — for pool

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