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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ground — the earth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cold — not warm
  5. toast — bread
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cold — an illness
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — crushed
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ground — a position
  20. plane — a tool
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. rush — hurry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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