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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. craft — boats
  5. foot — a measure
  6. plane — a tool
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. spell — magic
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. vault — a safe
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. craft — a skill
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. content — the amount
  20. spell — a short time
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. scale — size or range
  24. spell — letters

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