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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.

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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. plane — a tool
  3. net — for catching
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mine — for digging
  8. fine — all right
  9. net — in sport
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mark — a grade
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. net — after costs
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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