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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
468
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: bay · plane · game · fine · row · bear · object · swing

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — all right
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — to paddle
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. object — to protest
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. object — a thing
  20. swing — music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. row — a line
  24. game — wild animals

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