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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 light ________________ burned out.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. kick — in football
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — a tool
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wake — a trail
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. can — a tin
  24. spell — letters

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