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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cold — an illness
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. track — a path
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. last — finally
  11. rest — what's left
  12. track — a song
  13. cold — not warm
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. plane — a tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rest — a break
  18. last — final
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. last — to go on

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