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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. can — a tin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. mark — a trace
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. cold — an illness
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pitch — completely
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. can — a tin
  17. current — electric
  18. snap — to click
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — to be able to

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