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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. field — a subject
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pit — a hole
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. current — of water
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. field — for sport
  15. current — happening now
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mine — for digging
  18. kick — in football
  19. bore — to tire
  20. field — farmland
  21. current — electric
  22. pit — in a race
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mine — belonging to me

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