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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. firm — steady
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mate — a partner
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. game — a match
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. firm — a company
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. mate — a friend
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. firm — decided
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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