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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ball — a great time
  3. plane — a tool
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lean — thin
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. ground — a position
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bulb — for light

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