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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — magic
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bound — certain
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ground — a position
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bound — obliged
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wound — an injury
  20. spell — letters
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rash — hasty
  23. ground — the earth
  24. plane — an aircraft

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