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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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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: deal · firm · plane · staff · patient · pitch · straw · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. firm — decided
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. staff — a stick
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. squash — to crush
  15. deal — to handle
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. staff — employees
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitch — completely
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. staff — employees
  24. squash — the sport

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