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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. plane — a tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — a friend
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bound — obliged
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mate — to breed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — in music
  23. mate — a partner
  24. plane — an aircraft

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