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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. drill — army training
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. capital — a city
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. capital — money
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. capital — a big letter

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