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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 116 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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ball — a dance
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stock — shares
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. stock — goods
  18. patient — a sick person

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