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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — in a race
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. sharp — clever
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. plane — a tool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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