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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. swing — music
  3. mate — to breed
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. object — an aim
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mate — a partner
  12. swing — to play on
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. swing — in golf
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. craft — boats
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mate — a friend
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. object — to protest

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