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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cue — for pool
  6. chest — of your body
  7. kick — in football
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. plane — a tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rule — government

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