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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. roll — a cake
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. roll — a list
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. plane — a tool
  12. net — after costs
  13. lean — thin
  14. pop — soda
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. lean — to bend
  17. firm — decided
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rock — music
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. firm — steady
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. firm — a company

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