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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. saw — the tool
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rest — what's left
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. roll — a list
  8. date — the fruit
  9. kid — to tease
  10. firm — a company
  11. rest — a break
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. kid — child
  16. suit — clothes
  17. firm — decided
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. suit — to fit
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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