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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: plane · sharp · can · court · track · patient · firm · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — steady
  4. court — of a king
  5. track — a song
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. firm — a company
  11. court — of law
  12. court — for sport
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. can — a tin
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — to sink
  18. track — a path
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. plane — a tool
  24. track — to keep track

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