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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: safe · racket · kid · saw · plane · tube · clip · spell

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. plane — a tool
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. clip — for paper
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. saw — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. saw — the tool
  11. spell — a short time
  12. clip — a video
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. spell — magic
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spell — letters
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. kid — child
  20. clip — to cut
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. kid — to tease

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