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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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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pass — a permit

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