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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. plane — a tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. swing — music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cell — in biology
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. swing — in golf
  13. drill — a practice
  14. staff — a stick
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. staff — employees
  17. swing — to play on
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. staff — employees
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. dip — to dunk

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