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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. object — to protest
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. ground — a position
  6. scale — size or range
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. object — a thing
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — final
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ground — crushed
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — the earth
  20. last — finally
  21. row — a line
  22. scale — in music
  23. last — to go on
  24. safe — out of danger

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