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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 116 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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. court — of a king
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. court — for sport
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fall — the season
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. court — of law

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