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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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Word bank
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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — crushed
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bass — low music
  6. spring — of water
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. charge — a price
  10. pit — in a race
  11. spring — the season
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pit — a hole
  16. scale — in music
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ground — the earth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — in control
  24. spring — a coil

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