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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fine — high quality
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — music
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. swing — in golf
  13. game — a match
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. court — of law
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. court — for sport
  19. game — wild animals
  20. court — of a king
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fine — all right

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