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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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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: hide · patient · kick · rush · sharp · suit · foot · plane

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kick — in football
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rush — hurry
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — a tool
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — to fit

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