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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 120 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
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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: plane · spell · cue · pass · prune · race · clip · hand

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cue — for pool
  4. clip — a video
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spell — a short time
  7. clip — for paper
  8. race — a contest
  9. spell — magic
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hand — in cards
  14. spell — letters
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. race — humankind
  19. clip — to cut
  20. cue — a hint
  21. plane — a tool
  22. race — the arms race
  23. cue — a signal
  24. prune — to trim

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