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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cold — an illness
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bark — to shout
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mug — a face
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mouse — the animal

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