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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mark — a trace
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — steady
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rash — a series
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pop — soda
  11. firm — a company
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rash — hasty
  14. firm — decided
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. present — there
  18. present — a gift
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pop — music
  24. present — the time now

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