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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cue — for pool
  7. spell — letters
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — to confront
  13. cue — a hint
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bass — the fish
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. face — part of the head
  23. spell — magic
  24. plane — a tool

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