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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. drill — army training
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ground — the earth
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bound — certain
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. band — a music group

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