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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. staff — employees
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. craft — boats
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. craft — a skill
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. firm — steady
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — a measure

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