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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — a tool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. spell — a short time
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bark — to shout

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