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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rash — hasty
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. land — a country
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. kid — to tease
  16. land — to come down
  17. deal — to handle
  18. kid — child
  19. rash — a series
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rash — on the skin

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