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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mug — a face
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. field — a subject
  5. mug — a cup
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. field — for sport
  12. rush — hurry
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — to rob
  15. clip — a video
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. clip — for paper
  21. field — farmland
  22. clip — to cut
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ruler — for measuring

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