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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. sharp — clever
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. staff — employees
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mug — to rob
  10. march — the month
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — for digging
  13. plane — a tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. staff — a stick
  22. suit — clothes
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. sharp — with an edge

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