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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. root — of a word
  5. ball — a great time
  6. club — for dancing
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. club — a group
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. club — for golf
  15. rash — a series
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. root — of a plant
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. root — the cause
  24. plane — a tool

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