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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 120 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. firm — a company
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. firm — steady
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. spring — a coil
  9. firm — decided
  10. face — part of the head
  11. spring — of water
  12. face — to point toward
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to confront
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. spring — the season
  21. mug — to rob
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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