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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. file — a document
  8. wind — moving air
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cap — a lid
  14. staff — employees
  15. file — a tool
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cap — a hat
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cap — of ice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. file — a line of people
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. plane — a tool

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