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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. ground — the earth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. spell — a short time
  8. game — a match
  9. swing — in golf
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spell — magic
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mate — a friend
  19. spell — letters
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. swing — to play on
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ground — a position

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