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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. club — a group
  3. pop — music
  4. fall — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. scale — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fall — to drop
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fall — to drop
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pop — soda
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pop — to visit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. club — for golf

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