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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bat — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cue — for pool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. game — wild animals
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cue — a hint
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. game — a match
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rock — music

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