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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pop — music
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rule — government
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pop — soda
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wake — a trail
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rule — a law
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. jam — in traffic

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