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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 116 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 · rush · object · plane · straw · squash · face · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. plane — a tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. clip — to cut
  5. object — a thing
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. squash — to crush
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. clip — for paper
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. clip — a video
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. face — to confront
  16. squash — the sport
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. rush — hurry
  20. object — to protest
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. sharp — clever
  24. object — an aim

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