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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. roll — a list
  7. land — to come down
  8. rock — a stone
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rock — music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. ground — a position
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cap — a lid
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. bark — to shout
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. roll — a cake

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