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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bore · cap · pit · plane · coach · fine · key

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fine — all right
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. clip — a video
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. key — the most important part
  21. clip — to cut
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bore — to tire

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