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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — soda
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. key — the most important part
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a song
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. plane — a tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pop — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. key — in music
  18. track — a path
  19. key — for a lock
  20. track — to keep track
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. snap — to click
  23. date — the fruit
  24. squash — the sport

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