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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. squash — to crush
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ground — crushed
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. club — a group
  14. squash — the sport
  15. club — for golf
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — a tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. game — a match
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wave — of the sea

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