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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. chair — a leader
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. season — of the year
  5. current — happening now
  6. face — part of the head
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rock — a stone
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. drill — the tool
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. current — of water
  15. plane — a tool
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. current — electric
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rock — music
  21. dip — to sink
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. season — in sport

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