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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. net — in sport
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ground — a position
  8. drill — the tool
  9. spring — the season
  10. drill — army training
  11. spring — a coil
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. spring — of water
  18. firm — a company
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. drill — a practice
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. press — to push
  23. press — newspapers
  24. ground — crushed

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