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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rock — music
  4. staff — employees
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. court — of a king
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. court — of law
  9. plane — a tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. board — a committee
  13. degree — an amount
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ball — a dance
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bear — the animal
  19. staff — a stick
  20. degree — temperature
  21. court — for sport
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — to get 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