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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. court — of law
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pit — in a race
  7. kick — in football
  8. court — for sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — of a king
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. hand — help
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. land — a country
  23. pit — a hole
  24. kick — a thrill

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