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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. suit — to fit
  6. club — a group
  7. lie — to recline
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. game — wild animals
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. squash — the sport
  16. club — for dancing
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. game — a match
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — the vegetable

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