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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 124 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cold — an illness
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cold — not warm
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. plane — a tool
  23. ground — a position
  24. ruler — a monarch

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