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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lie — to recline
  9. net — in sport
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. row — to paddle
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. net — for catching
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. net — after costs
  23. row — a line
  24. patient — a sick person

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