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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — a country
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — to trim
  5. plane — a tool
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pop — to visit
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cap — a lid
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cap — of ice
  15. land — ground
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pop — soda
  18. land — to come down
  19. pop — music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cap — a hat

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