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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — in music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rock — a stone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. fine — all right
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rush — hurry

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