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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ground — the earth
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ground — a position
  6. suit — to fit
  7. toast — bread
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. chip — to eat
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. chip — for betting
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bass — low music
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bass — the fish
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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