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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. root — of a word
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. root — of a plant
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — the cause
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. plane — a tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. scale — in music
  24. rash — hasty

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