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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pit — a hole
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wound — an injury
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ground — a position
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fall — the season
  12. charge — a price
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — in a race
  16. ground — the earth
  17. charge — in control
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — decided
  24. ground — crushed

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