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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  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. court — of a king
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. plane — a tool
  7. firm — a company
  8. foot — a measure
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. face — part of the head
  11. firm — decided
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. net — in sport
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. face — to confront
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. firm — steady
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. court — for sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. court — of law
  23. face — to point toward
  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