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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: pound · bear · hand · ground · plane · mug · charge · mine

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ground — crushed
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. charge — in control
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — a position
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mug — a face
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ground — the earth
  18. hand — help
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pound — a weight
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mug — to rob

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