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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — to recline
  4. plane — a tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mine — for digging
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. root — the cause
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. date — the fruit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. root — of a word
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. root — of a plant

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