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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. row — to paddle
  5. season — of the year
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. row — a line
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. season — in sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. present — the time now
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. row — a quarrel

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