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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. fine — all right
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fork — in a road
  24. temple — a place of worship

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