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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fall — the season
  5. present — the time now
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. present — there
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. plane — a tool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pit — in a race
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. drill — the tool
  18. present — a gift
  19. rock — a stone
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pit — a hole
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. rock — 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