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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. net — in sport
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. net — for catching
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stock — shares
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. net — after costs
  14. field — for sport
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. field — a subject
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pop — soda
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. field — farmland
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. vault — a safe
  24. pop — music

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