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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. plane — a tool
  5. row — a line
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ground — a position
  12. stock — shares
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. ground — the earth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stock — goods
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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