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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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. lean — to bend
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — a coil
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. cue — a hint
  10. rash — a series
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lean — thin
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — for pool
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. spring — the season
  20. kick — in football
  21. rest — a break
  22. cue — a signal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rash — on the skin

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