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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bound — tied together
  3. plane — a tool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cell — in biology
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rash — hasty
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cell — a phone
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rash — a series
  17. face — to point toward
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bound — certain
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. face — to confront
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bound — obliged

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