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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pit — in a race
  3. face — to confront
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to bend
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pit — a hole
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lean — thin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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