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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cap — of ice
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. key — for a lock
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — a tool
  11. key — in music
  12. cap — a hat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wound — an injury
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wound — an injury
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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