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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mark — a grade
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. roll — a cake
  9. mark — a trace
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. prune — to trim
  17. roll — a list
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. prune — to trim
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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