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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. firm — decided
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. firm — a company
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. plane — a tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. firm — steady
  17. staff — a stick
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bass — low music
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. squash — the sport

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