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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cue — a signal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cue — for pool
  7. spell — a short time
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. track — a path
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cue — a hint
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. plane — a tool
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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