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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. object — an aim
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. board — to get on
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. ground — the earth
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ground — a position
  22. pop — music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. board — a flat piece

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