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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mine — for digging
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. game — wild animals
  6. suit — clothes
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spell — a short time
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spell — magic
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — a match
  19. lie — to recline
  20. suit — to fit
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. chest — of your body
  24. spell — letters

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