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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ground — a position
  6. rash — hasty
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ground — the earth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fall — the season
  18. prune — to trim
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rash — a series
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. foot — the bottom

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