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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cue — a hint
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. ground — a position
  6. object — a thing
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. snap — to click
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. band — a music group
  14. object — an aim
  15. band — a ring
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. stand — to bear
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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