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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — a skill
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. press — newspapers
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — to push
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ground — crushed
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. press — a publisher
  22. kick — in football
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — a tool

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