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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to sink
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — in music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. plane — a tool
  12. key — for a lock
  13. band — a music group
  14. mug — to rob
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mug — a cup
  18. band — a ring
  19. mug — a face
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — the most important part
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. hide — animal skin

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