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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. court — for sport
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bark — to shout
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — a grade
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. court — of law
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. court — of a king

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