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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bass — low music
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pit — in a race
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. dip — to sink
  12. spell — magic
  13. pop — soda
  14. cap — a lid
  15. board — a committee
  16. spell — letters
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — to get on
  20. pop — to visit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pop — music
  24. bass — the fish

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