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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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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: sharp · plane · deal · season · pop · pit · mouse · net

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pop — music
  3. net — in sport
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. season — of the year
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pit — a hole
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pit — in a race
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. net — for catching
  21. season — in sport
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. net — after costs
  24. sharp — with an edge

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