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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. band — a music group
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mark — a trace
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. drill — army training
  22. pit — in a race
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stock — goods

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