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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. roll — a list
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mine — for digging
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rock — music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. last — finally
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rock — a stone
  13. last — final
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. roll — a cake
  20. plane — a tool
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lean — thin

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