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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. land — ground
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. shower — rain
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cue — a signal
  14. land — to come down
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. land — a country
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. scale — size or range

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