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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 116 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. drill — army training
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. plane — a tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. court — for sport
  13. drill — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — a practice
  16. squash — the sport
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. court — of a king
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. staff — a stick
  21. squash — to crush
  22. court — of law
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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