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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. pop — music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pitch — completely
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mug — to rob
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mug — a face
  16. rush — hurry
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pop — soda
  20. chip — for betting
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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