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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rule — government
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. plane — a tool
  15. capital — a city
  16. fork — in a road
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mug — a face
  19. capital — money
  20. mug — a cup
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rule — a law
  24. deal — an agreement

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