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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 116 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. scale — in music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. prune — to trim
  14. object — a thing
  15. saw — the tool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pitch — completely
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. snap — to click
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. deal — to handle
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pitch — a sports field

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