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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. present — a gift
  3. ground — a position
  4. can — a tin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. present — the time now
  7. can — to be able to
  8. present — there
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. spell — magic
  12. plane — a tool
  13. spell — letters
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bass — low music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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