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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 124 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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. object — to protest
  7. sharp — clever
  8. spell — letters
  9. bear — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. saw — the tool
  16. plane — a tool
  17. spell — magic
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. spell — a short time
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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