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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. plane — a tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. suit — to fit
  12. squash — to crush
  13. scale — in music
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pound — a weight
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. suit — in cards
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mouse — the animal

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