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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. net — for catching
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. firm — decided
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. land — a country
  16. firm — a company
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — steady
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. land — ground
  21. plane — a tool
  22. row — a line
  23. land — to come down
  24. dip — to sink

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