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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chip — to eat
  4. spell — letters
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. pound — a weight
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. spell — a short time
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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