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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tear — to rip
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. plane — a tool
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mark — a grade
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. tear — from crying
  18. clip — a video
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — goods
  21. tear — from crying
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cue — a signal

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