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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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. craft — boats
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. shower — rain
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. shower — to wash
  14. plane — a tool
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. key — in music
  19. board — to get on
  20. key — the most important part
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. key — for a lock
  24. arm — a part of something

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