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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mate — to breed
  6. capital — money
  7. mate — a friend
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. capital — a city
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. branch — a division
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mark — a trace
  19. pit — a hole
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to click

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