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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lie — to recline
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. file — a document
  6. court — for sport
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. file — a tool
  15. court — of law
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. file — a line of people
  18. court — of a king
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. date — the fruit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. date — on the calendar

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