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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pound — a weight
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fine — all right
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bark — to shout
  24. club — for golf

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