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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — a trail
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bulb — for light
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. degree — from a university
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. degree — temperature
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. degree — an amount

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