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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 120 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 words: he'll be late again.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mug — a cup
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. plane — a tool
  6. foot — a measure
  7. object — to protest
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mug — a face
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mug — to rob
  14. fork — in a road
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mark — a trace
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. tube — the underground
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tube — a container
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. object — an aim

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