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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. race — a contest
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. race — humankind
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. charge — in control
  12. ground — crushed
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. charge — a price
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — the earth
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. charge — electricity
  22. plane — a tool
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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