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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: suit · squash · board · cap · plane · clip · racket · snap

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. board — a committee
  6. clip — a video
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. board — to get on
  10. squash — the sport
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. clip — to cut
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. suit — to fit
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. clip — for paper
  18. squash — to crush
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. cap — a hat
  22. snap — to click
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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