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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. net — after costs
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rush — hurry
  16. net — in sport
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. ball — a great time
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. net — for catching
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — to hurry

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