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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fall — to drop
  3. tube — the underground
  4. staff — employees
  5. tube — a container
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — a face
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. march — the month
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. march — the month
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. march — music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mug — to rob

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