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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — a hint
  3. plane — a tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. track — a song
  6. drill — a practice
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. track — a path
  12. cue — for pool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — the tool
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. track — to keep track
  22. drill — army training
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bowl — to roll

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