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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. firm — decided
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bulb — for light
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. staff — a stick
  7. current — of water
  8. plane — a tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. current — electric
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — steady
  24. bear — to put up with

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