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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ground — crushed
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ground — a position
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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