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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 124 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. field — a subject
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rule — government
  9. field — for sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. field — farmland
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pit — a hole
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. pit — in a race

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