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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. staff — employees
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pit — a hole
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — a signal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tear — to rip
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — for pool
  19. firm — steady
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. staff — a stick
  22. firm — a company
  23. fork — in a road
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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