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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cold — an illness
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. club — for dancing
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cold — not warm
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a match
  18. club — for golf
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. club — a group

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