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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pound — a weight
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. plane — a tool
  21. sharp — clever
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. sharp — exactly
  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