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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rest — a break
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rest — what's left
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. object — a thing
  22. mate — a friend
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. straw — dry grass

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