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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. land — ground
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. land — a country
  13. pop — music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cap — a lid
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pop — soda
  20. ground — the earth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. land — to come down
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. plane — a tool

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