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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. ground — the earth
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. land — a country
  6. ground — crushed
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a word
  9. land — to come down
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — a tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. game — wild animals
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ground — a position
  19. lie — to recline
  20. game — a match
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — ground
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. temple — a place of worship

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