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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — size or range
  3. can — a tin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — to come from
  8. plane — a tool
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. can — a tin
  17. ball — a great time
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. club — for golf
  22. scale — in music
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. can — to be able to

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