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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pit — in a race
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mate — to breed
  13. face — part of the head
  14. drill — army training
  15. mate — a friend
  16. can — a tin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. drill — the tool
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mate — a partner
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. face — to confront
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. racket — a loud noise

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