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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ball — a great time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. degree — an amount
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. degree — from a university
  12. season — in sport
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rock — music
  19. season — of the year
  20. degree — temperature
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rock — to move gently

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