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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cue — a hint
  6. suit — clothes
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. suit — in cards
  12. staff — employees
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chest — of your body
  18. cue — for pool
  19. staff — employees
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — a container
  23. cue — a signal
  24. plane — a tool

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