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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. rest — a break
  2. staff — a stick
  3. deal — to handle
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. net — after costs
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wind — moving air
  17. staff — employees
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — to fit
  21. staff — employees
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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