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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. net — for catching
  4. tube — a container
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mark — a trace
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. net — after costs
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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