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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. kick — in football
  6. season — of the year
  7. pop — soda
  8. bound — tied together
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pop — music
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bound — certain
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bound — obliged
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ball — a great time
  24. season — in sport

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