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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — a tool
  5. ground — crushed
  6. staff — employees
  7. squash — to crush
  8. staff — employees
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. ground — a position
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. season — of the year
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — a company
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. firm — decided
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. season — in sport
  24. firm — steady

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