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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: trunk · clip · mouse · press · plane · patient · fan · object

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. object — a thing
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. clip — for paper
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. press — to push
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. press — a publisher
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. press — newspapers
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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