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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. can — to be able to
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. row — to paddle
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bass — low music
  14. fine — all right
  15. row — a line
  16. perch — the fish
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bass — the fish
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fine — high quality

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