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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cap — a lid
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. club — a group
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ball — a great time

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