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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. squash — the sport
  3. fine — all right
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fine — high quality
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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