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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: calf · plane · clip · ruler · patient · spell · hide · ground

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — crushed
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. clip — a video
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. spell — letters
  17. ground — a position
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spell — a short time
  21. clip — to cut
  22. plane — a tool
  23. clip — for paper
  24. calf — a young animal

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