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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chest — a box
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rule — a law
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rule — government
  13. chest — of your body
  14. tear — from crying
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. tear — from crying
  24. calf — a young animal

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