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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. perch — the fish
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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