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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. face — to confront
  8. kid — child
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wind — moving air
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. face — to point toward
  19. board — a committee
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kid — to tease
  23. face — part of the head
  24. board — to get on

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