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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rest — a break
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rest — what's left
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bore — to drill
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. kick — in football
  15. pop — soda
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. spell — letters
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bore — to tire
  24. spell — magic

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