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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — a break
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cap — a hat
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. dip — to dunk

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