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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 124 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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. root — of a plant
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. clip — a video
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. clip — to cut
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. root — the cause
  13. club — for dancing
  14. season — of the year
  15. club — a group
  16. season — in sport
  17. club — for golf
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. court — of a king
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. root — of a word
  23. clip — for paper
  24. court — of law

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