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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: tube · game · rock · plane · lie · mine · tear · patient

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mine — for digging
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. tear — to rip
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tube — a container
  13. game — a match
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rock — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. game — wild animals
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rock — to move gently

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