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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. land — a country
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cold — an illness
  11. land — to come down
  12. staff — a stick
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. land — ground
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — employees
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. staff — employees
  24. cold — not warm

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