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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. staff — employees
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — a hole
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — a stick
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. squash — to crush
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. coach — a trainer

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