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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. row — to paddle
  7. press — to push
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — happening now
  12. mine — for digging
  13. row — a line
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. press — a publisher
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — electric
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. plane — an aircraft

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