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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: present · toast · can · plane · saw · stick · ball · patient

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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. can — a tin
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. toast — bread
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. present — a gift
  8. can — to be able to
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. present — the time now
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. present — there

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