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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lean — thin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. swing — in golf
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. swing — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. plane — a tool
  14. mine — for digging
  15. game — wild animals
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wax — to grow
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. hide — to keep secret

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