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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. clip — for paper
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. clip — a video
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rest — what's left
  7. root — the cause
  8. rush — hurry
  9. root — of a plant
  10. clip — to cut
  11. plane — a tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. snap — to click
  20. root — of a word
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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