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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. club — for golf
  6. scale — size or range
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rule — government
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rule — a law
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. row — a line
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. club — a group
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rash — a series
  23. scale — in music
  24. bulb — for light

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