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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ground — the earth
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ground — crushed
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ground — a position
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fine — high quality
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lean — thin
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fine — all right
  23. cap — a lid
  24. branch — of a tree

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