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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. pop — music
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. kid — to tease
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — to visit
  20. face — part of the head
  21. kid — child
  22. bear — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. nail — for a hammer

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