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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. object — a thing
  4. ground — a position
  5. club — for dancing
  6. key — the most important part
  7. ground — crushed
  8. key — in music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. club — a group
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rule — a law
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ground — the earth
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — to recline
  20. key — for a lock
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. club — for golf
  24. pit — a hole

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