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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: staff · calf · plane · mug · hide · drill · ground · toast

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mug — a face
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. drill — a practice
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. mug — to rob
  8. staff — a stick
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. toast — bread
  12. ground — a position
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ground — the earth
  15. staff — employees
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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