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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. snap — to click
  5. last — to go on
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. suit — in cards
  8. plane — a tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. suit — clothes
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. suit — to fit
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. deal — to handle
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. mark — a trace

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