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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. last — finally
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cap — a lid
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. last — to go on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ground — crushed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cap — a hat
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. last — final
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ground — a position
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mark — a grade

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