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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — for pool
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — from a university
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rush — hurry

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