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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: can · plane · clip · drill · stem · suit · bowl · object

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stem — to come from
  3. drill — army training
  4. object — to protest
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — for paper
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — an aim
  11. drill — a practice
  12. plane — a tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. object — a thing
  21. can — a tin
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bowl — to roll

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