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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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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. face — part of the head
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. face — to point toward
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. squash — the sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. race — humankind
  12. plane — a tool
  13. face — to confront
  14. race — the arms race
  15. toast — bread
  16. race — a contest
  17. squash — to crush
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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