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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.

Make a worksheet

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: clip · can · chair · squash · spell · stand · plane · vault

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. clip — a video
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spell — a short time
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. clip — for paper
  10. can — to be able to
  11. vault — a safe
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. plane — a tool
  14. clip — to cut
  15. can — a tin
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stand — to bear
  18. chair — a leader
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. spell — letters
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. chair — a professorship

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