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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. spring — the season
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. toast — bread
  20. plane — a tool
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. arm — part of the body

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