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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pop — soda
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. content — the amount
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pop — to visit
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rash — a series
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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