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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rock — music
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hand — help
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pit — in a race
  22. hand — in cards
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. hand — part of the body

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