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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pop — soda
  5. wound — an injury
  6. present — there
  7. chest — a box
  8. chest — of your body
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pop — to visit
  11. present — the time now
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. present — a gift
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. firm — steady
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pop — music
  24. chest — of your body

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