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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pit — in a race
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. track — to keep track
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pit — a hole
  13. board — to get on
  14. track — a path
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. prune — to trim
  20. track — a song
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — a committee
  23. row — a line
  24. plane — a tool

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