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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.

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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 · stick · object · fan · bowl · safe · clip · rule

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. clip — a video
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. object — to protest
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. clip — for paper
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. object — a thing
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — a tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. clip — to cut
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. object — an aim
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bowl — a dish

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