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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. snap — to click
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a grade

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