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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: mate · pop · plane · court · lash · firm · spell · ground

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. firm — a company
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. firm — steady
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ground — a position
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pop — music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. court — of a king
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. court — of law
  18. spell — letters
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — crushed
  21. spell — a short time
  22. court — for sport
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. spell — magic

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