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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bat — the animal
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. toast — bread
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mark — a trace
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. toast — the most admired

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