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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. tube — the underground
  4. swing — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — in golf
  11. plane — a tool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. suit — to fit
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. ground — crushed
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. tube — a container
  24. racket — for tennis

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