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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. staff — employees
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mine — for digging
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. snap — to click
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bound — certain

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