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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
YesNo
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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: object · safe · fan · clip · plane · trunk · stick · net

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. clip — to cut
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. object — to protest
  8. net — in sport
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. net — for catching
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. net — after costs
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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