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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 116 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. prune — to trim
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — shares
  15. row — to paddle
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. dip — to sink
  19. plane — a tool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. row — a line
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stock — goods
  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