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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — the tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. clip — for paper
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. clip — to cut
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. clip — a video
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — a company
  24. suit — to fit

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