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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wind — moving air
  3. firm — decided
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. firm — steady
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. suit — clothes
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — to fit
  17. firm — a company
  18. calf — of the leg

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