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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pop — soda
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pop — music
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. can — a tin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. can — a tin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. can — to be able to
  22. game — a match
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — a tool

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