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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. fine — all right
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ground — crushed
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ground — the earth
  20. snap — to click
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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