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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — all right
  9. key — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — music
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. rock — a stone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. suit — in cards
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bat — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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