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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. shower — rain
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bass — low music
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. shower — to wash
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bass — the fish

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