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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — in music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. deal — to handle
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mine — for digging

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