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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. plane — a tool
  5. face — to confront
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rush — hurry
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. foot — a measure
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. sharp — clever
  13. scale — in music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. face — part of the head
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. scale — size or range
  24. plane — in geometry

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