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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 120 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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wind — moving air
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wind — moving air
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — of law
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. court — of a king
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. plane — a tool
  24. court — for sport

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