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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. last — to go on
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. last — finally
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. last — final

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