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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pop — to visit
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pop — music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. game — a match
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — letters
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pop — soda
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. spell — a short time
  18. game — wild animals
  19. spell — magic
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — clothes

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