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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — a position
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. drill — army training
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ground — the earth
  11. drill — the tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. drill — a practice
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wave — of the sea

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