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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — a practice
  3. roll — a list
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. roll — a cake
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. drill — army training
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. spring — a coil
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rock — music
  24. plane — an aircraft

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