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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. firm — a company
  4. spring — of water
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. tear — from crying
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spring — the season
  9. firm — steady
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. spring — a coil
  12. tear — to rip
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. charge — in control
  16. firm — decided
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. charge — a price
  22. swing — to play on
  23. tear — from crying
  24. foot — a measure

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