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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. branch — a division
  10. plane — a tool
  11. scale — in music
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fall — the season
  24. mouse — 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