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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. land — a country
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitch — completely
  5. season — of the year
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. land — ground
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. season — in sport
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. land — to come down
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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