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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. firm — steady
  3. ground — the earth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ground — a position
  6. board — to get on
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. firm — decided
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — a weight
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lean — thin
  17. board — a committee
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. firm — a company
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — a flat piece

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