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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. deal — to handle
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. degree — temperature
  6. clip — for paper
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. clip — a video
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pop — to visit
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — thin
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pop — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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