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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — a practice
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bound — tied together
  13. hand — help
  14. bound — certain
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. hand — in cards
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mate — a friend

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