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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: mouse · foot · track · season · plane · bear · mine · straw

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. plane — a tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bear — the animal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. track — to keep track
  13. season — of the year
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. track — a song
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. season — in sport
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. track — a path
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mine — for digging

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