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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fine — all right
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rest — a break
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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