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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. season — of the year
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pit — in a race
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. field — farmland
  9. chair — a leader
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pound — a weight
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. plane — a tool
  14. current — of water
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. current — electric
  18. pit — a hole
  19. field — for sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. season — in sport
  22. current — happening now
  23. field — a subject
  24. pound — to hit hard

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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