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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cap — a lid
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. race — the arms race
  5. face — to confront
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. face — part of the head
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mate — to breed
  13. race — a contest
  14. pass — a permit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cap — of ice
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. race — humankind
  24. face — to point toward

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