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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ball — a dance
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kid — child
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mug — a face
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. ball — a great time
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. kid — to tease
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mug — a cup

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