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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ball — a dance
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mate — a friend
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. prune — to trim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mate — a partner
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bat — the animal

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