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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. capital — money
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rest — a break
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cue — for pool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. capital — a city
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. plane — an aircraft

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