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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rock — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wound — an injury
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wound — an injury
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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