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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wind — moving air
  6. land — a country
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wind — moving air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mark — a grade
  24. safe — a strongbox

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