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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. swing — music
  3. object — a thing
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stock — shares
  6. clip — to cut
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stock — goods
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. clip — a video
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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