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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. plane — a tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. net — in sport
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ground — the earth
  10. net — after costs
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. date — the fruit
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — to protest
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ground — crushed
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. net — for catching
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ground — a position
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mouse — the animal

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