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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cell — in biology
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. object — a thing
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. last — finally
  14. stock — shares
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. last — final
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. object — an aim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. last — to go on
  23. stock — goods
  24. object — to protest

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