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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ground — crushed
  5. tear — to rip
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — a trace
  14. charge — electricity
  15. tear — from crying
  16. charge — in control
  17. ground — a position
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. dip — to sink
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tear — from crying

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