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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. plane — a tool
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. court — for sport
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. kid — child
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kid — to tease
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pound — a weight
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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