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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
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: mouse · pitch · clip · nail · object · fall · plane · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. clip — for paper
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. object — an aim
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. date — the fruit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — to protest
  16. fall — the season
  17. clip — a video
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. object — a thing
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fall — to drop
  24. clip — to cut

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