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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: suit · mouse · plane · last · rock · clip · vault · march

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. vault — a safe
  6. march — music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. march — the month
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. last — final
  12. last — finally
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. suit — clothes
  15. march — the month
  16. rock — music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. last — to go on
  24. mouse — the animal

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