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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rule — a law
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. dip — to sink
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mine — for digging
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rule — government
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mug — a face
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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