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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. root — of a plant
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. swing — to play on
  5. object — an aim
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ball — a great time
  8. swing — music
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — music
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. object — a thing
  20. rock — a stone
  21. object — to protest
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. net — after costs

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