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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. net — after costs
  3. bound — tied together
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cue — a signal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. net — in sport
  11. clip — for paper
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bound — certain
  18. clip — a video
  19. net — for catching
  20. cue — for pool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. clip — to cut
  24. plane — a tool

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