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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.

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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. dip — to sink
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. track — to keep track
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. shower — rain
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. shower — to wash
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. snap — to click
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. tube — a container
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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