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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. foot — a measure
  9. spring — of water
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rest — a break
  12. spring — the season
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. spring — a coil
  24. chip — in a computer

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