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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — a hole
  4. object — to protest
  5. lean — thin
  6. club — a group
  7. plane — a tool
  8. club — for golf
  9. degree — temperature
  10. can — a tin
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. degree — an amount
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. object — a thing
  18. degree — from a university
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — an aim
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pit — in a race
  24. club — for dancing

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