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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. drill — army training
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mug — a face
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a music group
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a cup
  19. sharp — clever
  20. drill — a practice
  21. kick — in football
  22. drill — the tool
  23. snap — to click
  24. sharp — with an edge

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