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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: foot · firm · rash · spell · arm · sharp · patient · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. firm — steady
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. spell — letters
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rash — a series
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. sharp — clever

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