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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. face — to point toward
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. face — to confront
  6. pit — in a race
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pit — a hole
  9. present — there
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. chip — to eat
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. present — the time now
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. kick — in football

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