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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pit — in a race
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pit — a hole
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. content — happy
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. content — the amount
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bear — to put up with

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