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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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 — a tool
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pit — a hole
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. kick — in football
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rest — a break
  13. clip — for paper
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cue — a signal
  19. clip — a video
  20. cue — for pool
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wound — an injury
  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