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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — of the year
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — music
  6. season — in sport
  7. snap — to click
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bark — to shout
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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