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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. firm — a company
  3. suit — to fit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. row — to paddle
  9. content — happy
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. row — a line
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — steady
  17. suit — clothes
  18. plane — a tool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. content — the amount
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. firm — decided

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