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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chest — of your body
  7. present — there
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. chest — a box
  17. chest — of your body
  18. staff — employees
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mate — a friend
  21. present — a gift
  22. mate — a partner
  23. plane — a tool
  24. staff — employees

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