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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. toast — bread
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. clip — a video
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. clip — for paper

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