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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mug — a face
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. root — of a word
  11. saw — the tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fork — in a road
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. game — wild animals
  19. root — the cause
  20. plane — a tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mug — a cup
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. dip — to sink

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