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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. present — the time now
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. present — a gift
  9. degree — an amount
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. degree — temperature
  14. ball — a dance
  15. present — there
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. degree — from a university
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — the season
  24. jam — a tight spot

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