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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — all right
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mark — a trace
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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