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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: clip · snap · board · plane · spring · pass · stand · stock

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. board — to get on
  7. stock — goods
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. board — a committee
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. clip — for paper
  15. snap — to click
  16. spring — of water
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. clip — a video
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — shares
  21. spring — the season
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. spring — a coil

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