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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pop — to visit
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pop — soda
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. track — a song

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