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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mug — to rob
  4. clip — for paper
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. swing — to play on
  7. clip — a video
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. clip — to cut
  10. charge — electricity
  11. net — for catching
  12. swing — in golf
  13. craft — boats
  14. swing — music
  15. net — after costs
  16. plane — a tool
  17. craft — a skill
  18. charge — in control
  19. mug — a face
  20. charge — a price
  21. net — in sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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