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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 120 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pit — a hole
  7. plane — a tool
  8. prune — to trim
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mark — a grade
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. pop — to visit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a trace
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. tube — the underground

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