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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — steady
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. land — to come down
  7. firm — decided
  8. land — a country
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mine — for digging
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — a tool
  14. land — ground
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — a company
  18. trunk — of a car

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