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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spell — letters
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. spell — a short time
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. can — a tin
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. can — to be able to
  17. spell — magic
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rock — a stone
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — a sick person

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