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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ball — a great time
  4. land — ground
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. suit — to fit
  16. land — a country
  17. perch — the fish
  18. land — to come down
  19. capital — money
  20. bore — to drill
  21. suit — clothes
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. perch — for a bird

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