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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. present — there
  11. can — to be able to
  12. deal — to handle
  13. present — the time now
  14. fork — in a road
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a great time

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