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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. cue — a signal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fall — the season
  7. cue — for pool
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fine — all right
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mine — for digging
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fall — to drop

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