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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — a tool
  3. field — a subject
  4. bear — the animal
  5. season — in sport
  6. field — farmland
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. season — of the year
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. field — for sport
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — an aircraft

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