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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.

Make a worksheet

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: season · mouse · mark · plane · prune · tube · bay · hide

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mark — a grade
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — in sport
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mark — a trace
  24. plane — a tool

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