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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. shower — rain
  8. can — a tin
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. drill — army training
  12. firm — a company
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cell — a phone
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. can — to be able to
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cell — in biology
  23. dip — to sink
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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