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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — clothes
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rule — government
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pit — a hole
  12. file — a tool
  13. rule — a law
  14. suit — to fit
  15. staff — a stick
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. suit — in cards
  24. file — a line of people

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