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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · spell · patient · craft · wave · staff · court · rush

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. court — for sport
  3. firm — decided
  4. spell — magic
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rush — hurry
  8. firm — a company
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. spell — letters
  11. court — of law
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. court — of a king
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — boats
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — a sick person

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