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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. craft — boats
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. net — for catching
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. net — in sport
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. net — after costs

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