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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. date — the fruit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rule — a law
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bore — to drill
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rule — government
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bore — to tire
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cell — in biology

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