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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. capital — money
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. object — a thing
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — low music
  18. object — to protest
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. capital — a city
  22. object — an aim
  23. snap — to click
  24. mouse — the animal

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