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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · bowl · sharp · ball · vault · bass · plane · perch

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. sharp — clever
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bass — low music
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a dance
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. staff — a stick
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — the fish
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ball — a great time
  21. vault — a safe
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. plane — in geometry

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