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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. tube — the underground
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. present — the time now
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. present — there
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. tube — a container
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a list
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. present — a gift
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. patient — a sick person

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