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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.

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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. row — to paddle
  7. scale — in music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — what's left
  11. row — a line
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. scale — size or range
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rest — a break
  18. row — a quarrel

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