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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fine — all right
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. firm — decided
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. degree — from a university
  12. swing — music
  13. firm — steady
  14. perch — the fish
  15. degree — an amount
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — in golf
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. degree — temperature
  22. sharp — clever
  23. can — to be able to
  24. swing — to play on

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