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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. object — an aim
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lean — thin
  16. land — a country
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. land — to come down
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — an aircraft

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