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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. face — to point toward
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spell — letters
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. spell — magic
  16. face — part of the head
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. face — to confront
  20. degree — temperature
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. degree — from a university
  24. plane — a tool

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