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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. current — electric
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wax — to grow
  14. current — of water
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. plane — a tool
  18. current — happening now
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fine — all right
  24. plane — in geometry

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