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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 120 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. court — of a king
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bank — for money
  8. fall — the season
  9. bank — of a river
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. plane — a tool
  16. chair — a leader
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — of law
  20. current — happening now
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fall — to drop
  24. court — for 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