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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. pass — a permit
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rock — music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. branch — of a bank

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