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

Word bank: plane · patient · fall · saw · stem · bay · bark · snap

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bark — to shout
  6. fall — the season
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fall — to drop
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. saw — the tool
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. plane — an aircraft

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