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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bound — certain
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. can — a tin
  17. file — a document
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bound — obliged
  23. file — a line of people
  24. plane — a tool

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