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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. fine — high quality
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. net — in sport
  16. plane — a tool
  17. net — after costs
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mug — a face
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. fine — all right

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