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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. shower — rain
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — to wash
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — in geometry

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