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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — soda
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. charge — electricity
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. last — finally
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pop — music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. charge — in control
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — in music
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. charge — a price
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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