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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to confront
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. face — to point toward
  12. craft — boats
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stock — shares
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. date — the fruit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stock — goods
  24. date — on the calendar

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