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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — a trace
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. spring — the season
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bay — a horse colour

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