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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ground — a position
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ground — crushed
  9. plane — a tool
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. squash — to crush
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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