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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bore — to drill
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. plane — a tool
  8. current — happening now
  9. mine — for digging
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — rain
  15. current — of water
  16. cue — a signal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — electric
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. shower — to wash
  24. lie — an untruth

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