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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pop — soda
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wound — an injury
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. suit — clothes
  8. last — final
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. suit — in cards
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. squash — to crush
  19. last — finally
  20. wound — an injury
  21. last — to go on
  22. suit — to fit
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bat — the animal

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