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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. spell — a short time
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mug — to rob
  5. shower — to wash
  6. spell — letters
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ground — a position
  9. charge — electricity
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — in control
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. charge — a price
  17. chest — a box
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. chest — of your body
  23. spell — magic
  24. foot — a measure

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