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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. ground — the earth
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — to confront
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ground — crushed
  11. degree — temperature
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. degree — an amount
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — a position
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. firm — steady

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