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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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Word bank
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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. season — of the year
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bank — for money
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. season — in sport
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bank — for money
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chair — a leader
  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