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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · wound · land · firm · squash · pit · pop · bowl

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wound — an injury
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. firm — a company
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pop — music
  15. firm — steady
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. firm — decided
  18. pop — soda
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pop — to visit
  22. squash — to crush
  23. land — ground
  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