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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spell — letters
  3. spring — a coil
  4. drill — army training
  5. mark — a grade
  6. spring — the season
  7. spell — a short time
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. drill — the tool
  10. spring — of water
  11. face — to confront
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. face — part of the head
  17. drill — a practice
  18. face — to point toward
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. plane — a tool
  21. spell — magic
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mouse — the animal

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