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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. file — a document
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. dip — a sauce

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