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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 120 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. wind — moving air
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mug — a face
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bear — the animal
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mug — to rob

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