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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. prune — to trim
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — clever
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bank — of a river
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bank — for money
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — a supporter

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