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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 · stem · hide · drill · suit · bear · plane · net

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. net — in sport
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. clip — to cut
  6. net — for catching
  7. drill — a practice
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. clip — a video
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. net — after costs
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. suit — in cards

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