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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cue — a hint
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — to fit
  8. field — farmland
  9. ball — a great time
  10. field — a subject
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cue — a signal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. field — for sport
  18. suit — clothes
  19. staff — employees
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. staff — a stick
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ball — a dance
  24. patient — a sick person

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