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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. plane — a tool
  14. object — an aim
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. object — a thing
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — for a lock
  22. object — to protest
  23. key — in music
  24. fan — a supporter

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