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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — a measure
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fall — to drop
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pass — a permit
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. row — a line

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