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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. file — a tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. file — a document
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. firm — steady
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mouse — the animal

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