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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: saw · jam · object · pop · deal · net · plane · squash

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pop — music
  3. squash — the sport
  4. plane — a tool
  5. squash — to crush
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. deal — to handle
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. object — an aim
  10. pop — to visit
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. object — to protest
  15. net — in sport
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pop — soda
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. saw — the tool
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. object — a thing

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