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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · bay · pit · plane · ground · hide · spell · lean

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lean — thin
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. ground — crushed
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ground — the earth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spell — a short time
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ground — a position
  24. spell — letters

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