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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to click
  4. capital — money
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. can — a tin
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rest — a break
  9. stock — shares
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. capital — a city
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. stock — goods
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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