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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: press · saw · patient · foot · bay · mate · ground · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. press — to push
  7. saw — the tool
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. press — newspapers
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. foot — a measure
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ground — a position

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