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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. file — a line of people
  3. can — to be able to
  4. key — in music
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pop — soda
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a document
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. key — for a lock
  16. file — a tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — a tin
  21. dip — to sink
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fan — to cool the air

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