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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: plane · bound · craft · season · rule · clip · rush · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. season — in sport
  5. rule — a law
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. season — of the year
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bound — tied together
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bound — obliged
  12. clip — a video
  13. clip — for paper
  14. craft — boats
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bound — certain
  19. plane — a tool
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rule — government
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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