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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 120 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: key · spell · leaves · pass · kick · clip · plane · rule

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rule — government
  5. clip — to cut
  6. clip — for paper
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. clip — a video
  9. pass — a permit
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. key — the most important part
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rule — a law

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