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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. track — a path
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. scale — in music
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. plane — a tool
  13. face — to confront
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. scale — size or range
  16. track — a song
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bear — the animal
  19. track — to keep track
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. racket — a loud noise

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