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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cap — a hat
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ground — crushed
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cap — a lid
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ground — a position
  14. chip — to eat
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim

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