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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pop · lean · present · club · bay · jam · ground

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. pop — to visit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lean — thin
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. club — a group
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. present — a gift
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. plane — a tool
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. present — the time now
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. club — for golf
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. ground — the earth
  23. present — there
  24. pop — music

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