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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. present — there
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. face — to confront
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. face — to point toward
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — a gift
  13. content — happy
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. plane — a tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. content — the amount
  20. present — the time now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. face — part of the head

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