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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. file — a line of people
  5. spell — a short time
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. swing — to play on
  11. spell — magic
  12. present — a gift
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. present — the time now
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. swing — music
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. present — there
  24. spell — letters

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