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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. plane — a tool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mug — a cup
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. snap — to click
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pit — in a race
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cap — a lid
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pit — a hole
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mug — a face
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fan — a supporter

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