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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stand — to bear
  5. file — a line of people
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. foot — a measure
  8. file — a document
  9. firm — decided
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. charge — in control
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. file — a tool
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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