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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 120 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: mug · saw · wave · suit · plane · hide · game · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — a face
  10. plane — a tool
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. saw — the tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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