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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: stick · can · clip · pit · field · suit · plane · swing

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. swing — to play on
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. swing — music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. clip — a video
  13. plane — a tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — to fit
  18. clip — to cut
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. suit — clothes
  22. swing — in golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. clip — for paper

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