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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. current — happening now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. present — there
  6. mate — a partner
  7. current — electric
  8. present — the time now
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — a friend
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. plane — a tool
  18. squash — the sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. squash — to crush
  22. present — a gift
  23. mate — to breed
  24. patient — a sick person

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