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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. board — a committee
  5. pop — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ball — a dance
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. can — to be able to
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — a tool
  14. key — the most important part
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pop — soda
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pop — to visit
  21. dip — to sink
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. board — a flat piece

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