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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. perch — the fish
  10. snap — to click
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — in sport
  16. chest — of your body
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chest — a box
  23. season — of the year
  24. chest — of your body

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