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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — crushed
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mug — to rob
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — in football
  14. rule — government
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bank — for money
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bank — for money
  21. ground — a position
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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