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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. sharp — clever
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fine — all right
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rock — a stone
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. mate — to breed
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rock — music
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to click
  20. foot — a measure
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rush — hurry
  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