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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stock — shares
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. plane — a tool
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. row — a line
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mug — a cup
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. deal — to handle
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mug — a face
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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