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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. clip — a video
  8. club — for golf
  9. net — for catching
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. clip — to cut
  13. net — in sport
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — a group
  18. net — after costs
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. clip — for paper
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. club — for dancing
  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