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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. firm — steady
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. can — a tin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — in sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. spell — magic
  10. lean — to bend
  11. firm — a company
  12. season — of the year
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. spell — letters
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lean — thin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — decided
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ball — a dance
  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