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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: kick · plane · rock · chair · rush · wave · present · firm

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. present — there
  4. rush — hurry
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. firm — steady
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chair — a leader
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rock — music
  18. firm — a company
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. present — a gift
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — decided
  24. present — the time now

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