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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. chip — to eat
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fine — all right
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bear — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rock — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ground — a position
  24. rock — a stone

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