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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: clip · mine · object · fine · jam · wave · plane · kid

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. object — a thing
  6. clip — a video
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. clip — to cut
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. clip — for paper
  24. mine — for digging

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