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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: season · kid · clip · nail · board · mug · plane · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — for paper
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. board — a committee
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — to get on
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mug — a face
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. kid — child
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. kid — to tease
  16. clip — to cut
  17. clip — a video
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. mug — a cup
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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