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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 120 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. last — to go on
  6. drill — a practice
  7. last — finally
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. suit — to fit
  13. drill — the tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. suit — in cards
  21. drill — army training
  22. last — final
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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