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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 116 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: safe · clip · saw · plane · pound · last · suit · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — to cut
  6. plane — a tool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pass — a permit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. last — final
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. last — to go on
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. suit — to fit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. saw — the tool
  21. last — finally
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — a video

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