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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · mouse · toast · plane · fan · mark · arm · squash

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. shower — to wash
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — a tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. toast — bread
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — rain
  17. squash — to crush
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. mark — a grade

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