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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. net — after costs
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rest — what's left
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — to sink
  11. net — for catching
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. plane — a tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kid — to tease
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mug — a face
  19. bear — the animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. kid — child
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bear — to put up with

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