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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — the season
  6. net — after costs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. spring — a coil
  13. net — in sport
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. net — for catching
  24. spring — of water

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