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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pop — to visit
  4. ground — the earth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. present — the time now
  7. net — for catching
  8. ground — a position
  9. chest — of your body
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. plane — a tool
  12. kick — in football
  13. pop — soda
  14. chest — of your body
  15. net — after costs
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. chest — a box
  19. cell — a phone
  20. present — a gift
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pop — music
  23. present — there
  24. net — in sport

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