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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 · stick · plane · tube · bore · wound · drill · leaves

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. tube — the underground
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. drill — army training
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tube — a container
  7. drill — the tool
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wound — an injury
  18. drill — a practice
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wound — an injury
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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