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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. plane — a tool
  5. key — for a lock
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. row — a line
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. key — in music
  11. mine — for digging
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. rest — a break
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rest — what's left

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