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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.

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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. firm — decided
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. kid — to tease
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. staff — a stick
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. plane — a tool
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. firm — steady
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. firm — a company
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mine — for digging
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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