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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. squash — to crush
  3. last — final
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pop — to visit
  9. last — finally
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rule — a law
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rule — government
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. last — to go on
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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