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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. dip — to sink
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rock — music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bore — to tire

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