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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the fish
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — low music
  22. date — the fruit
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bass — the instrument

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