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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. last — final
  3. stand — to bear
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — a tool
  8. charge — a price
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. charge — in control
  12. last — to go on
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. last — finally
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ground — the earth
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stand — for spectators

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