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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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. ball — a great time
  4. kick — in football
  5. board — to get on
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ball — a dance
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wound — an injury
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. plane — a tool

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