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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. foot — a measure
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. game — wild animals
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. firm — steady
  12. net — for catching
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — in sport
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — decided
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. net — after costs
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. firm — a company

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