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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. snap — to click
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. ground — a position
  5. date — the fruit
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. plane — a tool
  8. spell — a short time
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lean — to bend
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ground — the earth
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lean — thin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — magic
  24. ruler — a monarch

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