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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. pop — soda
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. spell — magic
  6. pop — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. spell — a short time
  10. plane — a tool
  11. snap — to click
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rock — music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. spell — letters
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. chair — a leader
  24. plane — an aircraft

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