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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. drill — army training
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pitch — completely
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bat — the animal
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bowl — a football final

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