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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. dip — to sink
  10. court — of a king
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. court — of law
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. plane — a tool
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. land — to come down
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. court — for sport
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — in geometry

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