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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: squash · pass · craft · plane · clip · prune · ruler · field

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. craft — a skill
  8. field — a subject
  9. squash — to crush
  10. clip — a video
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. squash — the sport
  15. field — for sport
  16. prune — to trim
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. plane — a tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. field — farmland

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