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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mug — to rob
  5. game — wild animals
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. present — a gift
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. chip — for betting
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mug — a face
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — there
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mug — a cup
  24. game — a match

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