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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. track — a song
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. track — a path
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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