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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rest — a break
  5. rock — music
  6. land — to come down
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cold — not warm
  15. land — a country
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cold — an illness
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — a tool
  24. land — ground

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