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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 120 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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. ground — a position
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ground — crushed
  6. plane — a tool
  7. key — for a lock
  8. spring — the season
  9. firm — steady
  10. spring — of water
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — a company
  15. spring — a coil
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. key — in music
  22. ground — the earth
  23. firm — decided
  24. bowl — a dish

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