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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mate — a friend
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. row — a line
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. plane — a tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mate — to breed
  14. scale — in music
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. mate — a partner

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