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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. spell — letters
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — crushed
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — a position
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lean — thin
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — a short time
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spell — magic
  24. deal — an agreement

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