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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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468
Word bank
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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bass — the fish
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mark — a trace
  7. squash — to crush
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. squash — the sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kick — in football
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a grade

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