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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 120 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — clothes
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. staff — employees
  10. stock — shares
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — to fit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — a tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. season — of the year
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stock — goods
  23. season — in sport
  24. stock — a soup base

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