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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mug — a face
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. net — in sport
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mark — a trace
  14. net — after costs
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — government
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — rain
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mug — a cup

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