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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. hand — help
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. plane — a tool
  13. kick — in football
  14. hand — in cards
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. stem — to come from
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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