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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 124 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. content — the amount
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. sharp — clever
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. ground — the earth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ground — a position
  19. squash — to crush
  20. content — happy
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. plane — in geometry

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