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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. can — to be able to
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — to protest
  11. stock — shares
  12. game — wild animals
  13. can — a tin
  14. stock — goods
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. object — a thing
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. game — a match
  24. object — an aim

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