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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ground — the earth
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — to fit
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cap — of ice
  18. plane — in geometry

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