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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mug — a face
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — a position
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ground — crushed
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. drill — the tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. drill — army training
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. sharp — clever
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ground — the earth
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rest — what's left

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