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

Word bank: plane · sharp · calf · racket · wave · perch · club · stick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. club — for golf
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. club — for dancing
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. club — a group

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