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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: can · plane · court · lie · bank · clip · cell · fan

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. cell — in biology
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. court — of a king
  23. bank — for money
  24. cell — a phone

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