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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. object — a thing
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cap — of ice
  10. object — to protest
  11. cap — a lid
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a line
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wound — an injury
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. dip — to sink

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