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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. snap — to click
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kid — to tease
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — lets stay

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