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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pitch — completely
  4. game — a match
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. drill — a practice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stem — to come from
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. plane — a tool
  24. game — wild animals

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