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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pound — a weight
  9. firm — steady
  10. chair — a leader
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. branch — a division
  22. firm — a company
  23. branch — of a bank
  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