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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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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: plane · lean · date · saw · clip · root · chip · suit

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — in cards
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. chip — to eat
  5. suit — clothes
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — of a word
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. root — the cause
  11. clip — to cut
  12. date — the fruit
  13. root — of a plant
  14. clip — for paper
  15. suit — to fit
  16. clip — a video
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. chip — for betting
  23. lean — thin
  24. plane — a tool

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