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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.

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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: jam · plane · snap · fall · spell · stick · clip · trunk

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fall — the season
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. clip — for paper
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spell — a short time
  13. snap — to click
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — to cut
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spell — letters
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. spell — magic
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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