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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.

Make a worksheet

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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. row — to paddle
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. game — a match
  8. row — a line
  9. lean — thin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. saw — the tool
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lean — to bend
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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