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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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. court — of a king
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. club — for golf
  8. rock — music
  9. court — for sport
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for dancing
  14. chair — a leader
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rock — a stone
  20. court — of law
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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