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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. snap — to click
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. foot — a measure
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a song
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. track — a path
  16. prune — to trim
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. land — to come down
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — a tool
  21. track — to keep track
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. land — ground
  24. foot — part of the body

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