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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. sharp — clever
  4. key — in music
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. key — the most important part
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pit — a hole
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — to visit
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. date — the fruit
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pop — soda
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pop — music
  24. key — for a lock

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