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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stock — goods
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mate — a friend
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pitch — completely
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wound — an injury

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