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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. court — of a king
  3. stand — to bear
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. court — for sport
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. capital — money
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. court — of law
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. plane — a tool
  22. capital — a city
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. trunk — of a car

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