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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bat — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mug — a face
  14. swing — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. craft — boats
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mug — to rob
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. swing — to play on

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