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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.

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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 · season · mate · dip · clip · shower · firm · bulb

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. shower — rain
  3. dip — to sink
  4. clip — to cut
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. clip — for paper
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. season — of the year
  10. firm — a company
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. firm — decided
  13. season — in sport
  14. firm — steady
  15. bulb — for light
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. plane — a tool
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bulb — for light
  23. clip — a video
  24. mate — to breed

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