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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 120 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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stock — goods
  6. swing — to play on
  7. game — a match
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. swing — music
  12. rock — music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — thin
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. game — wild animals
  17. plane — a tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — shares
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. swing — in golf
  24. cap — a lid

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