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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. swing — to play on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ground — crushed
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ground — the earth
  12. staff — employees
  13. drill — army training
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ground — a position
  22. swing — in golf
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — an aircraft

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