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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pop — soda
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. scale — size or range
  6. plane — a tool
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pop — music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. scale — in music
  12. ground — the earth
  13. band — a ring
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. band — a music 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