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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pit — a hole
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. cell — a phone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cell — in biology
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — a tool
  14. chip — for betting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. scale — in music
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chip — in a computer

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