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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ball — a great time
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. shower — rain
  9. mark — a trace
  10. dip — to sink
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mark — a grade
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. ball — a dance
  23. toast — bread
  24. swing — music

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