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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — in a road
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a song
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. track — a path
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. plane — a tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — to keep track
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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