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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rash — a series
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pound — a weight
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. racket — a loud noise

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