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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.

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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. club — a group
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. club — for golf
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fine — all right
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bulb — for light
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. kick — in football
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. snap — to click
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. plane — a tool
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fork — in a road
  24. kick — with a leg

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