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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ground — a position
  5. present — the time now
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — a gift
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lean — thin
  11. ground — crushed
  12. present — there
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. ground — the earth
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. track — a path

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