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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bound — certain
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bound — tied together
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. kick — in football
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fan — a supporter

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