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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fine — all right
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pitch — completely
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ground — a position
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bear — 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