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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · plane · rest · bowl · pop · toast · swing · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rest — a break
  3. wake — a trail
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. roll — a list
  6. swing — music
  7. toast — bread
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pop — music
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pop — soda
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wake — before a funeral

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