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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ground — crushed
  9. present — a gift
  10. ground — the earth
  11. charge — a price
  12. face — part of the head
  13. charge — in control
  14. ground — a position
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. face — to confront
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. charge — electricity
  24. present — the time now

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