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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pop — to visit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pop — music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pop — soda
  22. kid — child
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. scale — in music

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