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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mug — a cup
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. cue — a signal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mug — a face
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bear — to put up with

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