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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rash — a series
  6. scale — in music
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. scale — size or range
  9. net — for catching
  10. fine — all right
  11. net — after costs
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. net — in sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fine — high quality
  17. squash — to crush
  18. suit — clothes
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. squash — the sport
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rash — hasty
  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