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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. plane — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — a company
  7. season — in sport
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. ball — a great time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — steady
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. season — of the year
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — a stone
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. plane — in geometry

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