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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lean — thin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. spell — magic
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lean — to bend
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wind — moving air

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