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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — of a river
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. capital — a city
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. capital — money

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