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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. field — a subject
  15. toast — bread
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. plane — a tool
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. deal — an agreement

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