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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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Word bank
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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. spell — a short time
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mug — to rob
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spell — magic
  13. mine — for digging
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. spell — letters
  19. tear — from crying
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mug — a face

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