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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kid · can · safe · ground · deal · plane · face · hide

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — a position
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. kid — to tease
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — to confront
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kid — child
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ground — crushed
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ground — the earth
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. plane — a tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. face — to point toward

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