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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wake — a trail
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bound — tied together
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bound — obliged
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. plane — a tool
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. land — to come down
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. land — a country
  21. bound — certain
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. land — ground
  24. squash — the sport

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