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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — clothes
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fine — high quality
  13. squash — the sport
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pop — music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. dip — to sink
  18. perch — the fish
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. plane — a tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. squash — to crush
  24. perch — for a bird

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